Tag Archives: Sustainability

Forbes ran an opinion piece on January 5 authored by Henry Miller and Gregory Conko: Something is very wrong at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The secretary, Tom Vilsack, is letting hypothetical claims by organic farmers – who produce less than 1 percent of the nation’s farming output – cripple an important and environmentally beneficial technology, the genetic engineering of crop plants. In December Vilsack announced that the USDA is considering geographic restrictions, as well Read More >

The Wall Street Journal printed a letter-to-the-editor from Mary Boote, Executive Director for Truth About Trade and Technology. Mary’s letter ran in conjunction with one by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack regarding genetically engineered alfalfa and the issue of coexistence: The new rules for biotech alfalfa that Mr. Vilsack is considering, if enacted, would lead to a significant and costly reversal of previous policies. They would limit economic freedom and stifle scientific innovation, setting a precedent Read More >

Agri-Pulse‘s Sara Wyant wrote an article about the coexistance issue being debated by USDA and advocates of biotech and organic farming: A recent meeting called by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to explore the topic of coexistence for Roundup Ready Alfalfa is raising new concerns about who will have the freedom to plant certain crops in prime growing regions of the United States and whether or not USDA staff is politicizing regulations that are required Read More >

The Wall Street Journal ran an editorial on December 27 about the USDA’s continuing efforts to shape a coexistence policy: Vilsack seeks out politically congenial scientific opinion If the Obama Administration is trying to lose its antibusiness reputation, you wouldn’t know it from the latest shakedown at the Department of Agriculture. In a move that caused jaws to drop in the farm industry, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has invited activists and biotech critics to shape Read More >

Ag journalist Harry Cline opined in Southwest Farm Press about Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack’s efforts to enhance coexistence among conventional, organic and biotech farmers: Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack at least gets credit for trying to forge a coexistence alliance between those who advocate biotech agriculture and those who do not want any part of it. This lofty goal came out of the recently released USDA-APHIS Environmental Impact Statement to pave the way for resumption Read More >